45 people were trapped overnight in the Vallée Blanche gondola’s cabins, one of the highest passenger lifts in the world, which provides high altitude views of Mont Blanc and the Vallée Blanche glacier.
110 people were initially trapped on the lift which is reported to have suffered from “Getting cables crossed for as yet unexplained reasons” by officials. A very strong gust of wind is one working theory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2PXuMiYNjc
65 people were initially rescued by helicopter but 45 were trapped overnight and the rescue operation has just resumed to rescue them. They were supplied with blankets and energy bars and emergency staff entered cabins to spend the night with them in some cases.
The rescue operation resumed at 6.30am local time this morning with mountain rescue helicopters from France, Italy and Switzerland involved.
The lift crosses a span of 1,684m (5,525 ft) with gondola cabins in groups of three taking 30 to 35 minutes to cover the distance and making 5 short stops corresponding to the stops of the cabins arriving in the stations at either end. The cabins run from the Aiguille du Midi station (3,778 m (12,395 ft) to the Gros Rognon station (3,536 m (11,601 ft).
55 years ago the lift suffered its most serious incident when a French fighter plane hit it causing three cabins to fall and the death of six people in 1961.